The Detroit Lions nearly pulled off a feel-good story by making the Super Bowl. General manager Brad Holmes doesn’t think it’s the last time they’ll vie for a championship.
Holmes told reporters Monday that the Lions are here to stay following their best season in decades:
“It’s only going to get better. We’re only going to get better,” Holmes said, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I don’t want anybody to think this was a one-shot, Cinderella, magical journey that just happened. No, it’s real.”
Brad Holmes: “It’s only going to get better. We’re only going to get better. I don’t want anybody to think this was a one shot, Cinderalla, magical journey that just happened. No, it’s real.”
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) February 5, 2024
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Detroit won its first division title in 30 years before garnering its first playoff victories in 32 years. The Lions matched a franchise record with 12 regular-season wins before defeating the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the postseason.
The NFC North champions looked poised to upset the San Francisco 49ers and earn their first Super Bowl appearance. Detroit jumped to a 24-7 halftime lead, but San Francisco scored 24 straight points in a gutting comeback.
Helping Detroit’s cause for a strong 2024 follow-up, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn will return after interviewing for head-coaching positions. Holmes said that their staying “says a lot about our organization.”
“It’s a great culture here,” he said . We got a great head coach. We got great ownership. We got a great offense. We got great players on offense. It’s a great deal.”
The Lions can snap another long drought next season by making back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 1995. They’ll hope to take another step in their journey to legitimate title contenders.